Registering a death

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Registering a death

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Deaths in Scotland should be registered within 8 days from the date of death.

Deaths can be registered at any Registration office in Scotland. You can get details of registrars from your local council.

Find a registrar

You can find which local council area you live in by clicking here

How to register a death

Contact the registration office where you wish to register the death and they will advise how to register the event.

You may be offered:

an in-office appointment
the option to register the death by telephone or during an online call (a ‘remote registration’)

When registering a death, you’ll need information about the person who has died. You’ll need:

their full name
their date of birth
their usual residence
their occupation
details of any marriages or civil partnerships
the full name and occupation of their father/parent
the full name, maiden name (if appropriate) and occupation of their mother/parent
the full name and address of their doctor

You’ll also be asked for additional information which does not appear on the register entry but is gathered for statistical purposes.

The following documents will be helpful in completing the death registration:

the deceased’s birth extract (certificate), if available
the deceased’s marriage/civil partnership extracts (if applicable)
the deceased’s National Health Service medical card (if available)

During your appointment the registrar will ask you to:

confirm the accuracy of the information given
provide a signature for the register entry

Who can register a death

In Scotland, a death can be registered by:

any relative of the person who has died which includes a relative by marriage or civil partnership
any person present at the death (for example a friend, district nurse, neighbour)
an executor or other legal representative
the occupier of the premises where the death took place (for example governor, matron or person in charge of a care home, hospital, or other institution)

This person is known as an informant.

If there is no suitable informant from the list above, any other person with knowledge of the details to be registered can register the death

A funeral director responsible for arranging the deceased’s funeral may also act as informant on behalf of those listed above, if requested to do so

Medical Certificate of Cause of Death (MCCD)

This is a certificate that is produced by the registered medical practitioner who was attending to the deceased. It will be forwarded directly to the registration office of your choice. If requested, a copy of the MCCD can also be emailed to the person who will be registering the death.

Around 12% of MCCD’s will be randomly selected for review by the Death Certification Review Team prior to the death being registered. This is to ensure the certificate's details are accurate.

However if the funeral has to take place within a certain timescale you can apply for advance registration. Please contact the registration office as soon as possible, if you wish to request an advance registration. If your request needs to be completed out with business hours, please check the registration office website for out of hours contact details.

After the registration has been completed

Documents you’ll be provided

You will receive one copy of the abbreviated death certificate free of charge.

The registrar will offer to send a scanned copy of the Certificate of Registration of Death (Form 14) to your funeral director to allow funeral arrangements to be made. If you have not decided on a funeral director the registrar will offer to email or post a copy of the Certificate of Registration of Death to you.

You will be given the opportunity to purchase any full death certificates you may require for business purposes, such as for life insurance or private pension company.

These documents can be given to you immediately if you are in the registration office, or posted to you if your registration is being completed remotely.

Tell Us Once Service

During the death registration, the registrar will offer you the opportunity to complete the Tell us Once Service.

They will either:

complete the Tell Us Once service with you when you register the death
give you a unique reference number to allow you to use the service online or by phone

If the person was over 14 years old, the registrar will notify:

the local authority Council Tax department
the Electoral Registration Officer

Funeral Support Payment

A Funeral Support Payment is available to people who are:

paying for a funeral
on certain low-income benefits or tax credits
the nearest relation to the person who has died.

Applications can be made up to six months following a funeral.
You can check if you are eligible for a payment, and apply online at mygov.scot/benefits.

Information you'll need

What you'll be asked

Reviews of MCCDs